Protecting kidney health in young children with spina bifida
Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida (UMPIRE)
This project tests a standardized set of urology 'best practices' aimed at protecting kidney function in infants and young children born with spina bifida.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11400834 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are enrolling infants and young children with spina bifida at multiple pediatric centers to follow their urinary and kidney health over time. The team uses a standardized UMPIRE protocol of urologic care and collects clinical data including kidney function tests, imaging for scarring or upper-tract changes, bladder function measures, urinary tract infection history, continence status, and any surgical interventions. Data will be correlated with outcomes over several years to identify which management steps best preserve kidney health and reduce complications. Findings will be used to refine the best-practices protocol to improve care across centers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Infants and young children diagnosed with spina bifida who are receiving urologic follow-up at participating pediatric centers are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children without spina bifida, or older adolescents and adults outside the infant/young-child enrollment window, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce clearer care guidelines that reduce kidney damage, UTIs, and need for surgery in children with spina bifida.
How similar studies have performed: Previous guideline-driven and single-center efforts have guided care, but this large multi-center protocol linking specific practices to long-term kidney outcomes is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chu, David — Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Chu, David
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.